Arena, Princes St Gardens, Edinburgh by Morris & Steedman
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Photograph from Oct 2008:
Adrian Welch
Controversy emerged in Jan 2004 over a former proposal by Morris and Steedman to relocate the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in the west part of Princes Street Gardens, below Edinburgh Castle.
Developments in 2005:
Tattoo Arena
Idea mooted to redesign Edinburgh Tattoo stadium, for intermittent use all year - and therefore fast erection potential - unlike current structure, which many visitors to the city find ugly with its curious blue pods (prominently placed in the middle of the world heritage site it's hard to comprehend). Surely like the proposed new Forth Road Bridge a suitable candidate to a well-run architecture competition?
Make Edinburgh
Make Architects win Ross Bandstand Competition - on a site related to the arena proposal of 1989 explained below.
Princes Street Gardens: Edinburgh Tattoo
The structurally-expressive temporary stand - erected annually - on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade is reportedly insufficient for current needs. The Tattoo takes place every Edinburgh Festival for three weeks.
In the mid-eighties Morris and Steedman (Architects) were commissioned to produce detailed plans for a 10,000 seat arena, unveiled in 1989 to much controversy. Princes Street Gardens are protected but limited building work has been undertaken latterly as part of the RSA's Playfair Project (Weston Link). Morris and Steedman's Arena was apparently influenced by the Acropolis parti in Athens.
Edinburgh Tattoo - Seating top left: image © Adrian Welch
Morris and Steedman amalgamated with né Begg in 2003 to form Morris and Steedman Associates. The practice is known for understated Modern works.
Background
The Edinburgh Tattoo is a major Scottish event which is popular all over the world. The Tattoo began in 1950 at Edinburgh Castle is now famous across the globe. The dramatic ceremony of the Edinburgh Tattoo is highly iconic and rooted in Highland traditions, yet the seating structure is vividly modern, its cantilevered metal spaceframe contrasting with the worn stone context.
Although it is temporary, for many visitors (ie for the Festival or typically every Summer) the Edinburgh Tattoo is always there and thus a fascinating modern intervention in the absolute heart of the City at the head of the Old Town's royal axis and high above the city so massively visible: it shouts 'the Edinburgh Festival has started'.
Edinburgh already has an arena in Princes Street Gardens: the Ross Bandstand is mostly used for music concerts.
Morris and Steedman: Background
Morris and Steedman Associates directors are Philip Flockhart and Raymond Muszynski but back in the eighties the practice was run by Bob Steedman and Jim Morris.
Morris and Steedman have contributed to previous studies on the future of the City of Edinburgh, notably the City Lighting Vision and the Edinburgh Old Town Visitor Strategy.
Morris and Steedman Associates - Edinburgh projects:
Hopetoun House
St Giles Cathedral, disabled access
Morris and Steedman Associates - Scottish works:
Couston Castle, garden room
Corrour Lodge with Moshe Safdie
Jenners
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh & Lothian walking tours
Scottish Architecture
Key building by Morris & Steedman:
Countryside Commission HQ, Battleby, Perthshire, 1974
make architects, Arup and Unique Events won an open competition in Aug 2005, organised by the City of Edinburgh Council and Scottish Enterprise Edinburgh and Lothian, to undertake a scoping study to examine a range of options on how the bandstand might be redeveloped.
Image of the existing Ross Bandstand in Princes St Gardens courtesy of make:
Contact Morris and Steedman: Edinburgh Architects
Harvey Nichols
The Edinburgh Tattoo sells around 200,000 tickets per annum and is watched by approximately one million people on TV
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Comments / photos for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo Architecture pages welcome:
info@edinburgharchitecture.co.uk
Edinburgh Tattoo Building : page - adrian welch / isabelle lomholt